Editing Simutronics

{{Short description|American online games company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Simutronics Corp.
| logo = Simutronics.webp
| type = [[Private company]]
| foundation = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], [[United States|U.S.]] (1987)
| location = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| owner = [[Stillfront Group]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stillfront.com/site/studios/#simutronics|title=Stillfront Group|date=25 April 2024 }}</ref> (55.06%)
| num_employees = 30
| homepage = [http://www.play.net/ Simutronics Official Site]
}}

'''Simutronics''' is an American online [[video game developer|games company]] whose products include ''[[GemStone IV]]'' and ''DragonRealms''.  It was founded in 1987 by [[David Whatley]], with husband and wife Tom & Susan Zelinski. The company is located in [[St. Louis, Missouri]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Games People Play |work=St. Charles Journal|date=January 9, 1994|author=McCrary, William S.}}</ref> It became part of the [[Stillfront Group]] in 2016.

The company's flagship product is the text based game, ''GemStone IV'', which went live in November 2003, with predecessor games running back in 1988. ''GemStone'' was originally accessed through [[General Electric]]'s [[internet service provider]] [[GEnie]], later becoming accessible through [[AOL]], [[Prodigy (online service)|Prodigy]], and [[CompuServe]] before Simutronics finally moved all their games to their own domain in 1997.

==Simutronics products==
===Multiplayer online games===
* ''[[GemStone IV]]'', Simutronics' flagship product, a text-based multiplayer fantasy game, which has seen over one million users over the years. It is the longest-lived commercial [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] game, followed by [[Avalon: The Legend Lives]].<ref>{{ cite web | title = Facts about early Avalon the Legend Lives | url = https://www.avalon-rpg.com/guide/facts }}</ref><ref>{{ cite web | title = Raph Koster's Timeline of Online Worlds | date = 13 January 2014 | url = http://www.raphkoster.com/games/the-online-world-timeline/ }}</ref>
* ''DragonRealms'', a 1996 MUD set in ''GemStone''{{'s}} Elanthia world, with popularity on online services AOL, Compuserve, and Prodigy. In comparison with ''GemStone'', ''DragonRealms''{{'s}} has more skill-based gameplay.<ref name="olivetti">{{cite web
 | last = Olivetti
 | first = Justin
 | title = The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: The games
 | work = Massively
 | date = 2011-04-19
 | url = http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/19/the-game-archaeologist-plays-with-muds-the-games/
 | accessdate = 2011-04-25
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110507224055/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/19/the-game-archaeologist-plays-with-muds-the-games/
 | archive-date = 2011-05-07
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref>
* ''[[CyberStrike]]'', also known as ''CyberStrike Classic'', a graphical futuristic ship combat game. It won the first ever "Online Game of the Year" award from [[Computer Gaming World]] magazine in 1993.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=October 1993  | title = CGW's Game of the Year Awards | magazine = Computer Gaming World  | issue = 111  | pages = 70–74 | url = http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_111.pdf }}</ref>

===Mobile games===
* ''[[Tiny Heroes (video game)|Tiny Heroes]],'' a [[tower defense]] game for [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]], released in 2011<ref>{{cite web | url=http://toucharcade.com/2011/09/09/tiny-heroes-review/ | title = Tiny Heroes Review | date = 9 September 2011 | first = Nissa | last = Campbell | work = Touch Arcade}}</ref>
* ''One Epic Knight,'' an [[Endless runner#Endless running games|endless runner game]], released in 2012<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/175943/Run_for_Gold_One_Epic_KnightLaunch_Date_Announced_Sprintsfor_Free_onto_iOS_Devices_August_23.php | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204917/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/175943/Run_for_Gold_One_Epic_KnightLaunch_Date_Announced_Sprintsfor_Free_onto_iOS_Devices_August_23.php | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 3, 2016 | title = Run for Gold! One Epic Knight Launch Date Announced, Sprints for Free onto iOS Devices August 23 | date = 14 August 2012 |work = [[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> for [[iOS]] devices and in 2013 for Android<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.androidauthority.com/underrated-game-list-for-android-may-2013-219850/ | title = The 6 most underrated games for Android: May 2013 edition | first = Brad | last = Ward | date = 5 June 2013 | work = Android Authority}}</ref>
* ''[[Lara Croft: Relic Run]]'', a spin-off sequel to the ''Lara Croft'' sub-series in the ''[[Tomb Raider]]'' franchise and a mission-based runner released on iOS and Android in 2015.
* Siege: Titan Wars, a 3D real-time PvP game that launched on iOS and Android in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Suckley |first=Matt |date=2017-07-06 |title=Simutronics on Siege: Titan Wars and 30 years of multiplayer gaming |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/66140/simutronics-on-30-years-of-multiplayer-gaming/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=pocketgamer.biz}}</ref>
* Siege: World War II, a wartime sequel to Siege: Titan Wars, launched on iOS and Android in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larsson |first=Jörgen |date=19 September 2018 |title=Stillfront Group AB: Simutronics announces "SIEGE: World War II" |url=https://www.stillfront.com/en/stillfront-group-ab-simutronics-announces-siege-world-war-ii-2/ |website=stillfront.com}}</ref>

===Former games===

* ''Modus Operandi'', a MUD set on a fictional Caribbean island, originally designed to encourage mystery-based roleplay, which closed on November 2, 2015.
* ''Alliance of Heroes'', formerly ''Hercules & Xena: Alliance of Heroes'', this adventure-based [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] was set in the universe of the TV shows ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]] & [[Xena: Warrior Princess]]''.  In later years the game changed its license, and removed specific Hercules & Xena trademarks, and ran as a retooled "[[tongue in cheek]]" [[mythology]] MUD until its closure on November 2, 2015.
* ''Orb Wars'', (no longer available) an early graphical game involving team combat between wizards
* ''GemStone ]['' (no longer available), an early commercial text-based multiplayer fantasy game
* ''GemStone III'' (morphed into GemStone IV), a text-based multiplayer game which was originally based on the [[Rolemaster]] rules from [[Iron Crown Enterprises]]
* ''[[CyberStrike 2]]'', a sequel to ''CyberStrike'', released in 1998

==HeroEngine==
{{Main|HeroEngine}}
HeroEngine is a [[game engine|3D game engine]] and server technology platform developed specifically for building [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMO]]-style games, based around a system similar to the IFE using the Hero Script Language (HSL). Originally developed for the company's own game ''Hero's Journey'' - [[vaporware]] which never made it to the testing stage - the engine has since been licensed by other companies.<ref>{{cite press release | publisher = Business Wire | date = August 8, 2006 | url = http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060808005769&newsLang=en  |title = BioWare Licenses Simutronics HeroEngine for MMO Game Project | location = Austin Game Conference 2006}}</ref>  Simutronics sold the HeroEngine to Idea Fabrik, Plc. on August 5, 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/599200-wolfgangbrand/85715-idea-fabrik-plc-purchases-heroengine-technologies |title = Idea Fabrik Plc purchases HeroEngine technologies | date = 5 August 2010 | first = Wolfgang |last = Brand}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine | magazine = [[Inc. Magazine]] | url = http://www.inc.com/magazine/19991015/14255.html | title = Pure Internet Play | first = Nancy K. |last = Austin | date = 15 October 1999}}
* {{cite book
 | last = Bartle | first = Richard | author-link = Richard Bartle
 | title = [[Designing Virtual Worlds]]
 | publisher = New Riders
 | year = 2003
 | isbn = 0-13-101816-7}}
* {{cite book | first = Amy Jo | last = Kim | author-link=Amy Jo Kim | title = Community Building on the Web | year = 2000 | publisher = Peachpit Press | isbn =0-201-87484-9}}
* {{cite magazine | magazine = [[Inc. Magazine]] | url = http://www.inc.com/magazine/19991015/14325.html | title = Recruiting Strategies: Motivation | date = 15 October 1999 | quote = THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE FORCE: With all the hype that surrounded the opening of Star Wars: Episode I --The Phantom Menace, it's no surprise that the film created a minor truancy problem for some companies. Like numerous other CEOs whose companies made this year's list, David Whatley of Simutronics Corp. (#295), in Rockville, Md., decided to do a preemptive strike. "I thought it would be more cost-effective to see the movie as a group," he says. "It was either that or have people call in sick for a week."}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* [https://www.simutronics.com/ Simutronics company website]
* [http://www.play.net/ Play.net, Simutronics on-line games website]
* [http://www.oneepicknight.com One Epic Knight website]
* [https://www.siegeworldwarii.com/ Siege: World War II website]
* [http://www.mobygames.com/company/simutronics-corporation Simutronics profile] from [[MobyGames]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040506183704/http://games.ign.com/objects/026/026712.html Simutronics profile] from [[IGN]]
* [http://www.giantbomb.com/simutronics-corporation/65-5629/ Simutronics profile] from [[Giant Bomb]]
{{MUDs}}

[[Category:Companies based in St. Louis]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1987]]
[[Category:MUD organizations]]
[[Category:Video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Mobile game companies]]